India’s most famous guru, Sathya Sai Baba, has been named by the U.S. State Department as the subject of its earlier travel warning regarding reports against him of sexual molestation of young males. The warning had stated Sathya Sai Baba’s location, but not his name.

Sathya Sai Baba proclaims to be the fullest incarnation of the divine in world history. He has millions of followers, from many countries and cultures, who donate billions to his Central Trust fund. For many years, Presidents, Prime Ministers and elites from many political parties, the armed services, police, judiciary etc have flocked to his ashram in Puttaparthi, South India. Political patronage makes it difficult to secure convictions against him in the courts of India.

There are now State Department citizen and media phone contact numbers where officers will confirm that Sathya Sai Baba is the individual referred to in its earlier travel warning (see details below).

As of May 25, 2004, the U.S. State Department now names the guru it referred to when warning U.S. travellers to the state of Andhra Pradesh to be aware of reports of “inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader” practised on young male devotees, including a number of U.S. citizens. (Consular Information Sheet, November 23, 2001).

The U.S. State Department will verify that the ‘local religious leader’ mentioned in the earlier warning notice is in fact Sathya Sai Baba. For enquiries other than by the Media, contact:

Media Enquiries should be made to:
Stuart Patt: 202-647-2114. State Department, Washington.

Travellers in India may enquire at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or U.S. Consulate General in Chennai .

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Canberra, are aware of this status change and Phillip Stonehouse, Executive Director South Asia, informs that he has notified Australia’s High Commission in New Delhi.

Pittard clearly insinuated that the advisory mentioned Sathya Sai Baba by name when he said: “The US State Department is now naming India’s most famous (and infamous) guru Sathya Sai Baba as the previously unnamed individual mentioned in its earlier Travel Warning.” Sathya Sai Baba’s name has never been published on the Consular Sheet for India. Rather, one must allegedly contact John C. Peters and privately verify that the warning pertains to Sathya Sai Baba. Therefore, the warning still refers to an unnamed religious leader.

Pittard attempted to decieve others by mentioning the bogus “Former Devotees of Sathya Sai Baba, a Global Coalition” (FDSSB). Oddly enough, despite FDSSB being a “Global Coalition”, it does not even have a proper domain, a written objective, a public forum, an online newsletter, public sponserships, conferencing schedules, collaborations, memberships, a board of directors, FAQ’s, annual reports, public events, funding policies or even publications. Rather, Meloy and Pittard attempted to create official-looking webpages claiming that FDSSB had an “Office of Communications” with a “Media Relations Department”! These are the shameless deceivers attempting to “expose” Sathya Sai Baba.

Pittard claimed that the advisory was in relation to “pedophile accusations”. No where on the advisory does it say anything about “pedophile accusations” or “pedophilia“. Not even one single word!

Pittard purposely left out the word “unconfirmed” when he cited the Consular Sheet for India. Pittard quoted the advisory saying, “inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader”. The warning specifically stated “unconfirmed reports of inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader”.

Although critics and a few alleged victims make public demands for justice, they have failed to follow even the most remedial prerequisites required by the law. Instead of following the law (as would be required from the rest of us) critics and ex-devotees have created their own forums and websites where they judge, try and convict Sathya Sai Baba with “evidence” taken from mostly anonymous and second-hand sources. It is often seen that critics and ex-devotees publicly anguish on the internet about their “serious ethical duty to rise up and speak out against sexual molestation”, yet have miserably failed to file charges in the Penukonda Magistrates Court or any other court of law in India. As the Sai Critic pointed out (with a slight modification):

“Do proceed with haste, with all anguised persons, nay sayers, gossipers and the like. ESPECIALLY do take ‘young men from around the world who have come forward to describe their victimization by this man masquerading as God’, do instigate and demand investigation, demand the laying of charges, demand the prosecution, with ALL HASTE.Are you there critics and ex-devotees?

Cease acting as middle men.

Assist those who report complaints with Sai Baba.

Provide tickets.

Get them on a plane.

Fly with them to Bangalore or Hyderabad.

Assist with travel to Penukonda, to the Magistrates Court.

Fulfill your SERIOUS ETHICAL DUTY and lay your charges.

Assist these traumatised others to lay charges in the proper courts.

Then you will have salvaged your conscience and fulfilled your serious ethical duty. We remind you that Sai Baba is not afraid. After all, he has said, “Why be afraid of the mistake you have not committed?”

To date (after many years), not even one critic has even tried to assist any alleged victim file a case against Sathya Sai Baba in India and no one seems to care or question why.